


would you have me if i come back home

by candeeapple234



Series: perfection verse [3]
Category: Hamilton - Miranda
Genre: Coming Out, Henry Laurens' A+ Parenting, M/M, Road Trips, Valentine's Day
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-17
Updated: 2021-02-17
Packaged: 2021-03-12 07:48:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,029
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29506461
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/candeeapple234/pseuds/candeeapple234
Summary: On Valentines Day, everyone in the family had to bring home their date instead of spending it romantically with them in a fancy restaurant. The real reason was so the family had an excuse to scrutinise your choice of partner but he always said it was to prevent "unwanted affections between unmarried couples".For the record, the Laurens' household walls wereverythick.
Relationships: Alexander Hamilton/John Laurens
Series: perfection verse [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2150622
Comments: 13
Kudos: 23





	would you have me if i come back home

John's hatred for his father was an open secret. He detested him to every fiber of his being. As a child, he used to wish every night that when he finally died, he would crawl his way out of hell to fuck his father over in heaven. He was so certain that he would meet Satan in the afterlife. Because according to his father, the very existence of John would get him thrown down into the fiery pits of hell while straight white guys would be able to ascend and spend the rest of their afterlife with a man who would condemn you to an eternity of suffering if you did not worship him. 

He was about 16 when he realised his father was a scumbag. 

John was sitting around the dining table when his sister asked his father about work. When Henry fucking Laurens casually told them that he voted to restrict adoption for same sex couples, John's heart sank like a rocks do when they get tossed into a pond.

_Clang!_

_Everyone looked at John as he desperately tried to not scream. His father,_ his own father _voted to keep people like his son from having children._

_"Jack, are you alright?" his father viewed him with a frown._

_He did not know how he would look like when he knew that he was ga- that he was lustful._

_"…yes. I am fine."_

_His father, seemingly satisfied with that answer, nodded and continued eating. His sister glanced at him with worry on her face. He gave a weak smile and picked up his utensils. John found that he lost his appetite._

When he was 18, John decided to leave. He told his father that he was leaving to pursue his art career in New York. His father, being his father, begrudgingly gave him his blessing. He took his art supplies and left. 

Now at 23, John was looking at the ringing phone with disdain. There was no contact card but John could tell from the area code who it was. And why his normally radio silent father would bring himself to initiate contact. 

The stupid Valentines Day tradition they had. 

On Valentines Day, everyone in the family had to bring home their date instead of spending it romantically with them in a fancy restaurant. The real reason was so the family had an excuse to scrutinise your choice of partner but he always said it was to prevent "unwanted affections between unmarried couples". 

For the record, the Laurens' household walls were _very_ thick. 

Alexander, who was writing an opinion piece for the local paper (as usual), glanced at the ringing phone. 

"You're not gonna answer it?" 

John shrugged. On second thought, maybe he should answer it. Henry Laurens needed to know the truth Someday. And who better to tell it with the man he wanted to spend his entire life next to? 

"I wasn't. But now I will." 

He picked up the phone. 

"Hello." 

"Ah, hello Jack. With Valentine's Day around the corner I was wondering if you-" 

"Yes."

"…what?"

"Yes. I have a partner. I'll check if they're busy and if they're not I'll bring them to South Carolina. " 

"You have never told me about this girlfriend of yours Jack."

"I… I wanted to keep it a surprise. You'll most likely meet them in a few days." 

"I'll be looking forward to it." 

He put the phone down. 

John found Alexander looking quizzically at him. 

"Bring me to South Carolina you say?" 

\---

After many stressful days of packing and unpacking and then packing again, the couple managed to drive to South Carolina _without_ Alexander dying halfway of boredom. As John pulled up to his childhood home, a sense of nostalgia twinged his heart. This was the place he used to call home. 

_Home._

_I like that._

Despite his father not holding any authority over him anymore, his hands still became clammy and his mouth dried up thinking about what would happen later in the day. He had spent a good chunk of his life doing everything to please his father. Now he was going to say to his father the worst thing he could ever tell him. 

Holding Alexander's hand, he pressed the doorbell. 

The door swung open and revealed her woman with curly hair similar to his. She was wearing a yellow sundress and a hairband pushed all of her hair back. Upon seeing her brother, she flung her arms around John, taking him by surprise. He reluctantly let go of Alexander's hand and placed his arms around her, rubbing her back. 

"I've missed you so much Jack." 

"You too, Matty. You too." 

Realising that Alexander was probably feeling extremely awkward, he gave Martha a few pats on her back and let go. She smiled, her eyes filled with tears as she unwrapped her arms from his chest. Her eyes glanced over to Alexander and her brows furrowed. 

Alexander put on his charming grin and stuck out his hand. 

"Alexander Hamilton, John's boyfriend. You must be his sister." 

Her eyes widened and she gasped before regaining her composure and smiling again. She took his hand and shook it. 

"Yes indeed. Martha Laurens. Come inside guys. Jacky?" 

He paused in untying his shoes and looked up at his sister. 

"Yes?" 

"I need you to help out with the dinner."

A lie. He knew his father's cooks were already preparing dinner and they did not need either of them to help. 

"Sure." he smiled and nodded. 

Alexander tried to speak but John grabbed his wrist and shook his head. 

"Make yourself at home. If you go up 2 floors and enter the first room on your left you should find my old room." 

Alexander's eyes lit in glee and he shook John's hand away to bound up the stairs as fast as his short legs could get him. John chuckled, amused. 

"Dad will be livid." 

John turned around to Martha staring resignedly at him. 

"He has to know. I don't even live here anymore, what can he do? Threaten to throw me out?" 

Martha placed a hand on his shoulder. 

"I have nothing to say but good luck. The kids are having dinner at Aunt Renee's House so they won't interfere." 

John nodded gratefully at the information. He gave Martha one last hug before he went to get the luggage and find Alexander. He found sitting on his bed, browsing his old textbooks. 

"Hey, help me with the luggage." 

Alex jumped and he looked up from the book. 

"I thought you were helping with dinner?" 

John shrugged noncommittally. 

"The cooks didn't need my help after all." 

"You have cooks?" 

"Correction: My father has cooks." 

Alexander laughed and John got reminded why he fell for this man. With him John could do anything. Maybe he could even come out to his father. 

\---

John was watching TV while Alexander was excitedly perusing the library. 

_"You guys have a fucking library?" He said._

_"We have cooks. Of course we have a library."_

John heard a car in the garage. Time for the moment of reckoning he thought. 

Keys jangled and the door swung open. 

Henry Laurens looked much older than he remembered. His hair had a tinge of grey and his forehead wrinkles became more pronounced. He still dressed immaculately though, wearing the finest suits old money could buy. 

John shuddered at the thought of younger him once wishing to become like that. 

"Jack. You're home." 

"Yeah." 

_He was not home. If his father there it was not home._

His father smiled, but the smile did not quite reach his eyes. It never did after his mother passed away. John peeled his eyes away from his father and forced himself to look like he was watching Benedict Cumberbatch butcher the word 'penguin while his mind was racing on how to talk to his father about Alexander. 

_"Hey Pa, didja know while I was in NYC I got a boyfriend? And because of you we can't have kids? That's cool with you right?"_

"So where's your girlfriend?" 

Looks like John did not need to start the conversation. 

"The library." 

His father looked impressed. 

"Well, get her here. We're having dinner soon." 

John offed the TV and found Alexander reading Sterne of all authors. 

"You like Sterne?" 

"I try to be him. But I don't think the world is wide enough to hold Jefferson and me." 

John laughed. 

"My father is home by the way." 

Alexander sighed and put the book back. 

"Let's go." 

He took John's hand and John relished in the touch. 

John led him to the dining table where his father was looking at his phone. Martha was staring uneasily at John and John nodded, feigning confidence. 

In actual fact, John was sure if his father even said one word he would explode into confetti. 

"Jack's here!" Martha said. 

His father looked up from the phone. He eyed Alexander suspiciously. 

"I thought you were bringing a date Jack?" 

Before John tried to say anything, Alexander cut in. 

"I am his date. Alexander Hamilton, a pleasure to meet you." 

His father's eyes opened in horror. He could see him forcing a thin smile onto his face.

"I was under the impression that Jack was bringing a girl home." 

"Would it help if I said that I was a girl in a past life?"

John did not think his father could get even more pissed than this. 

"Not particularly. Jack!"

John locked eyes with his father. He hoped his father could see the defiance in his eyes. 

"Upstairs."

Alexander squeezed his hand and looked at him. His eyes said, "Stay safe." 

He took the hand and brought it to his lips. 

"I will." 

He followed his father upstairs. 

\---

When he was younger and he made a mistake, his father would make him stand in his office as punishment. If he moved even an _inch_ , a shot of pain would be delivered by a thin bamboo cane. 

"Stay there until you learn your lesson!" 

Now, he stood in that stupid office again. The only difference was a new red circular rug with gold fringe. As an illustration major, John could certifiably say that it was the ugliest rug in existence.

Trust his father to buy such a shit rug.

Speaking of his father, the man was sitting on a black leather chair. His arms were propped up on the wooden desk and his hands were clasped. Perhaps he was praying the gay away.

Well, he could not stand here forever. 

"You know I'm not going to change." 

His father looked up from his prayer. 

"What?" 

"I'm not going to change. I'm not becoming straight. I have a boyfriend whom I like a lot and I have felt this way since I was in 5th grade. I'm gay."

Henry Laurens grew redder by the minute. His eyes were spitting fire and his knuckles turned paper white. John braced for the worst.

 _Get out of the damn house and never come back!_ he could say.

Or _Maybe I was wrong to let you go to New York._

Either one would be less surprising than what he actually said. He heaved a weary sigh.

"I know. And I still… I still love you."

John began malfunctioning.

"You know our views on homosexuality are entirely different Jack. But you're my son. And as a parent I will respect you and your decisions. So, why don't we go back down and have a nice meal with Mr. Hamilton and Matty?"

John was speechless. His mind was racing but one phrase was prominent.

_I still love you._

_I still love you._

_I still love you._

Maybe his father was not a scumbag after all.

\---

"So, Mr. Hamilton-"

"Alexander is fine."

"Alexander. When did you first meet my son?"

Alexander launched in a tirade of the Coffee Shop Incident and his father actually looked like he was listening.

John was blankly shoveling food into his mouth when Martha kicked his foot under the table.

"What did you do to Dad?" she whispered.

"Nothing." he replied.

"What?"

"Nothing."

John smiled at the dinner table for the first time in his life.

**Author's Note:**

> this was supposed to come out on valentine's day but I'm slow at writing :( 
> 
> HenryLaurens!Accepting is super rare in this fandom so I wrote it lol. as usual, if you find glaring errors please tell me! I hope you enjoyed!


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